holiday sales

WASHINGTON – The holiday season turned out not to have been a particularly merry one for retailers, the National Retail Federation said on Thursday. Retail sales grew a lower-than-expected 2.9% during the two-month period, according to the NRF, which cited U.S. Commerce Department data that had been delayed by nearly a month because of the

NEW YORK — Robust holiday shopping from before Thanksgiving through Christmas has raised hopes for continued strength in the retail sector. According to Mastercard SpendingPulse, holiday sales increased 5.1% to more than $850 billion — the strongest growth in six years. And online shopping jumped 19.1%, with Amazon reporting record-breaking results. “While we recognize the

MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp. on Thursday reported strong sales gains for the November/December holiday sales period, and reiterated its sales and earnings guidance for the full year. The company also announced changes in its executive ranks, including the planned retirement of chief financial officer Cathy Smith. Target’s holiday sales performance included a 5.7% comparable store sales

PURCHASE, N.Y. — Holiday sales increased 5.1% to $850 billion, according to the Mastercard SpendingPulse report, which characterized the season from November 1 through December 24 as retailers’ strongest holiday period in six years. “From shopping aisles to online carts, consumer confidence translated into holiday cheer for retail,” said Steve Sadove, senior adviser for Mastercard.

WASHINGTON — Between Thanksgiving Day and Cyber Monday, retailers hosted about 165 million shoppers in their stores and on the websites, according to a survey from the National Retail Federation (NRF) and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The survey found average spending per person over the five-day period was $313.29, with 69% of the money going

WASHINGTON— The National Retail Federation said on Wednesday that holiday retail sales this November and December will increase between 4.3% and 4.8% over last year’s figures. The average annual increase over the past five years has been 3.9%. “Our forecast reflects the overall strength of the industry,” NRF President and CEO Matthew Shay said in

WASHINGTON – Citing U.S. Census data, the National Retail Federation reported Friday that retail sales during November and December increased 5.5% compared to last year, to reach $691.9 billion. That number includes $138.4 billion in online and other non-store sales, which were up 11.5% over the year before. The results exceeded NRF’s predicted increase of

MINNEAPOLIS — Target Corp. said holiday sales rose more than forecast, with sales at stores open at least a year climbing 3.4% in November and December. The company said sales and traffic were higher both in stores and online. “We are very pleased with our holiday season performance, which reflects the progress we’ve made against

NEW YORK — Retail sales this holiday season increased 4.9% compared to last year and set a new record for total dollars spent, according to the Mastercard SpendingPulse study results released on Tuesday. That represents the largest year-over-year increase since 2011, the study found. Online shopping increased by 18.1%. The SpendingPulse report details holiday shopping that

NEW YORK — Retailers should see holiday sales rise a healthy 4% to 4.5% over last year and surpass $1 trillion, according to a forecast by Deloitte, which foresees sales increasing in stores and online. “The projected uptick in holiday sales ties to four primary factors affecting consumer spending, starting with anticipated strong personal income

WASHINGTON — The National Retail Federation is out with figures showing that holiday sales reached $658.3 billion in November and December, a 4% increase from the previous year and surpassing the NRF’s preseason forecast for $655.8 billion in holiday spending. The number includes $122.9 billion in online (dubbed non-store sales by NRF) sales. That represents

WASHINGTON — Retail sales this holiday season will be better than usual, according to the National Retail Federation. The NRF on Tuesday forecast that sales in November and December (excluding autos, gas and restaurant sales) will increase a solid 3.6% to $655.8 billion. That is significantly higher than the 10-year average of 2.5% and also above the seven-year average